Janet Elizabeth Thomson

Jan was born on April 2,1932 in Detroit to Dr. Charles E. Lemen and Helen (Doyle) Lemen. She grew up in her beloved Traverse City, graduating from TC Central in 1950 where she made lifelong friends. She attended Miami of Ohio and Michigan State University before meeting & marrying her husband, James "Jim" Thomson in 1952, a union that lasted 56 years until his death in 2009. Together they raised 6 children in East Lansing & Haslett where she was a room mother, attended countless athletic events, threw birthday parties and reveled in decorating, crafting and baking for each holiday. The annual vacations to Elk Lake and Lake Leelanau made for adventures and memories that will be with us for a lifetime. After brief moves to Kansas and Saginaw, they retired to Traverse City until Jim passed and she moved back to East Lansing to be closer to family. She enjoyed following sports and was a passionate fan of Michigan State men's & women's basketball.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Jim; parents in-law, Lawrence "Cotton" & Ruth Thomson; brother, C.E. "Ted" Lemen; sister, Martha Ouverson; brother-in-law, Jay Ouverson; brother-in-law, Lawrence "Tom" Thomson. Survived by brother-in-law, David Thomson of South Carolina; sister-in-law, Cecile Lemen of Lakewood, CO; 5 sons, Michael (Toby) of Union City, TN, Craig (Kathy) of San Antonio, TX, Robert "Bob" (Stacey) of Bradenton, FL, James "Jim" (Suzy) of Sequim, WA, Darren (Karen Miller) of Okemos; daughter, Elizabeth "Beth" (Rudy) Marinez of East Lansing. So proud of her 9 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Will also be missed by her dog, Riggs.

Special thanks to the staff at Vista Springs Timber Ridge, Mari, Cassie, Erika, Kaitlin, Heather & all the rest.

A private memorial will be held at a later date.

Donations may be made to any Humane Society or St. Jude's Hospital or you may honor her with a random act of kindness.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.greastlansing.com for the Thomson family.